The present invention is generally directed to machine testing. More particularly, the invention is directed to a system for automatically configuring a machine testing device to perform further testing of a machine based upon results of a previous test.
Portable vibration analyzers are used to test machines, such as in manufacturing plants, so that any defects in components of the machines may be detected before the defects lead to catastrophic failure. To perform such testing, these vibration analyzers must generally be set up with operational parameters which determine how the vibration data will be collected and analyzed at each machine. Some of these vibration analyzers are preloaded with particular setup parameters to perform particular types of tests on particular machines. With other analyzers, the test operator must have enough experience to know what values to select for the setup parameters for the analyzer to function properly. In some situations, a test operator may collect test data which makes the operator suspect a problem with the machine under test. In such a situation, the operator may wish to perform a special test to gather more information on the suspected problem. However, setting up the analyzer to do a xe2x80x9cnonstandardxe2x80x9d test may require the operator to be an expert in machine fault testing requiring the specification of 15-20 parameters that control the test setup.
What is needed, therefore, is a machine testing analyzer that automatically determines test setup parameters based on a suspected problem with the machine under test, or based upon a particular portion of a test spectrum designated by the test operator.
The foregoing and other needs are met by a hand-held apparatus for gathering and analyzing test data associated with mechanical equipment, where the test data is indicative of one or more operational characteristics of the rotating electric machines. The apparatus, which is operable to be carried by an operator from one machine to another along a test route, includes a sensor input port for receiving a sensor signal from a sensor, where the sensor signal is indicative of one or more operational characteristics of the rotating electric machines. The apparatus also includes a signal conditioning circuit for receiving the sensor signal, and for conditioning the sensor signal to produce a conditioned signal which is appropriate in format to be digitally processed. A processor, which is coupled to the signal conditioner, receives and processes the conditioned signal according to processing instructions and processing parameters to produce a test spectrum. The processing parameters determine one or more characteristics of the test spectrum. A memory device, which is coupled to the processor, stores a plurality of executable test expert modules, each containing the processing instructions for processing the conditioned signal in a particular way to determine one or more of the operational characteristics of the rotating electric machines. An operator input device is coupled to the processor for receiving input from the operator to select one of the test expert modules to be executed to process the conditioned signal according to the processing instructions contained in the selected module. The apparatus further includes a display device for displaying the test spectrum to the operator.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, the test expert modules contain processing instructions for determining whether the processing parameters have been set according to a predetermined configuration for a particular test point on the test route, and for processing the conditioned signal in a way dependent upon whether or not the processing parameters have been set according to such a predetermined configuration.
The test expert modules have the ability to alter the data collection set-up methods based on the data that has already been collected by the analyzer. The test expert modules, in essence, learn from the collected data.
In some preferred embodiments, the test expert modules contain processing instructions for setting a maximum frequency and a resolution of the test spectrum based upon whether the processing parameters have been set according to a predetermined configuration for a particular test point on the test route. One test expert module gives the operator the ability to invoke a Turning Speed Detection test. This test expert module can also be invoked intelligently when the equipment to be monitored is defined as a variable speed machine.